“In the wake of the recession, people are looking for guidance on how to build financial security after depleting short-term savings, tapping into retirement funds and losing home equity,’’ says Jennifer Grasz of Careerbuilder.com. “We see more demand for financial advisors.”

Salaries for financial advisors vary with experience. The trainee stage for most financial advisers lasts up to three years, as they establish a set of regular clients and start earning commissions. Eventually, brokerage firms tend to stop paying advisers a base salary. An entry-level financial advisor earns 17% below average, a mid-career financial advisor earns 27% above average, and a late-career financial advisor earns 105% above average.

In addition to salaries, financial advisors also receive compensation in the form of bonuses, profit sharing and commissions. According to Payscale.com, the average annual bonus received by a financial advisor ranges from $0 to $29,936. The average annual profit sharing compensation ranges from $1,163 to $15,115. The average annual commission compensation ranges from $3,912 to $186,292.